Serving tray



Jan. 10, 1928. 1,655,735

C. W. MEINECKE SERVING TRAY Filed Aug. 28. 1925 INVENTOR TORNEYS Patented Jan. in, 1928.

warren STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHRIS'IIAN W. MEINECKE, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO MEINECKE & COMPANY, OF NEW YGRK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SERVING TRAY.

Application filed August 28, 1925. Serial No. 53,119.

My invention relates to a new and improved form of tray and more particularly the manner of constructing the handles thereof. 1

As is well-known metal serving trays or hospital bed trays are formed with a raised rim around the edge thereof and either without any handle at all or with a handle which is welded or secured to the edge of v the tray and projects beyond the line of the tray. akin objection to such construction is that the handles take up considerable room and are undesirable for shipping and in addition there is the possibility of their becom' ing broken off.

By my improved construction these ObJQC- I tions'are obviated and the trays construct ed in accordance with my invention can be nested one upon the otherwhen shipping and of material, preferably metal, having a hot tom 3 and a raised wall or edge 4 formed preferably integral withthe bottom and bent.

over to form a beaded or turned over edge 5. At each end of the tray an indentation or recess is formed in the wall 4 indicated at 6 in Figs. 1 and 2.

This indentation or recess allows the user of the tray to put his or her fingers in the recess and get a secure hold or grip on the tray while at the same time the outer edge of the tray is perfectly straight without any projections.

As shown in Fig. 2 the wall a is substantially at an obtuse angle relative to the bottom and the top wall of the recess is parallel to the bottom terminating at its end in a practically circular rim in cross-section.

The rim is made by curving the sheet metal about a wire and it extends about the en tire perimeter of the tray. The rim within [ill the boundary of the recess provides a stop to prevent the lingers from slipping and by reason of its curved outllne it will not injure or bruise the hand.

In this construction, there are no pro truding'parts inproxinnty to the recess to interfere with the handling or wrapping and shipping of the tray. As indicated in Fig.

1, the recess is formed by bending the top wall inwardly thus giving ample space between the divergent orflaring side walls for theinsertion of at least four fingers to grasp the tray. It will be readily understood, that by having the side walls divergent it widens the area at the front of the recess relative to its back so that the fingers will be easily guided into the recess.

I claim As an article of manufacture, a serving tray made of a slngle piece of mai'icrial and comprising a bottom, side and end walls ex I tending upwardly and outwardly from said bottom, said tray having a continurms substantially rectangular edge reinforced by a beaded rim, the bottom and end walls of the tray being pressed upwardly and inwardly intermediate the sides of the tray to form a hand-held on the said upper portion of the tray without prejudicing the adaptability of the tray to be nested with similar trays, the said hand-hold having a top surface inergmg into said edge.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

CHRISTIAN XV. MEINECKE. 

